Kevin Bronson on August 17th, 2012

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By Steve Baltin

The Sunset Strip Music Festival officially kicked off last night at the House of Blues with a presentation and tribute to the Doors highlighted by some wicked playing by Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek and guitarist Robby Krieger. Joining an all-star band that included Matt Sorum on drums and Billy Morrison on bass, Manzarek and Krieger took the Strip back more than 40 years. Top 3 moments from the evening:

‣ Dead Sara’s Emily Armstrong on “Soul Kitchen” – L.A.’s new favorite rock frontwoman unleashed her inner Jim Morrison as she whirled around the stage, igniting the crowd and the band with her frenetic energy (more of which will be on display Saturday at 2:30 p.m. when Dead Sara plays the street festival).

‣ Manzarek and Krieger – From their opening speech, where Manzarek paid his respects to the Strip by saying, “For the Doors, the Whiskey a Go Go and the Sunset Strip are the axis mundi of our lives,” to their rich solos during the set – such as Krieger in “Roadhouse Blues” and Manzarek in “Light My Fire” – the duo showed the night was not just an exercise in nostalgia.

‣ Linda Perry singing “L.A. Woman” – Perry closed out the five-song set with the perfect finale for a hometown Doors tribute. And the crowd agreed, singing along to the iconic “Mr. Mojo Rising” refrain as, for one night, the Doors again ruled Sunset.

Steve Baltin is a SoCal-based freelance journalist

Photo by Jim Donnelly